About the Book

A voice shaped by two worlds—and a front‑row seat to radio’s most electric era.

Before he became known as Don Sainte‑Johnn, he was Wilber Johnson—a determined young man in the segregated South with a transistor radio, a dream, and the belief that his voice belonged on the air.

San Francisco’s LAST TOP 40 DISC JOCKEY traces his journey from cotton fields and late‑night practice sessions to the powerhouse studios of KFRC San Francisco. Along the way, Johnson navigates broadcasting schools, small‑market radio, racial barriers, reinvention, and the constant pressure to stay relevant in a rapidly changing industry.

At its heart, this is a story of radio’s golden age—when personalities mattered, promotions were bold, and a single station could shape the sound of a city. Written with warmth, humor, and candor, it’s both a coming‑of‑age story and a time capsule of American radio history. Whether you know the author as Don Sainte-Johnn (AKA), or Wilber Johnson, this is the story of finding a voice.